Russian region explains why it uses Artyomovsk instead of Bakhmut — RT Russia and the former Soviet Union
Donetsk People’s Republic does not recognize name changes made by post-Maidan Ukraine, says Denis Pushilin
Acting leader of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin visited recently liberated Artyomovsk (known in Ukraine as Bakhmut) to assess the damage inflicted by months of fighting in the city , posting footage of the scene on his telegram. Tuesday channel.
There is still a lot of work to be done in the city, which is full of munitions and mines left behind by Ukrainian troops, Pushilin admitted, as he erected the DPR flag.
The official also explained why it is called Artyomovsk in Russia, while Ukraine – and its Western backers – call it Bakhmut. The city was renamed under former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko, who started the so-called “decommunization” movement, designed to eradicate Soviet-era names. The DPR does not recognize these name changes and has special legislation to deal with the problem, Pushilin explained.
“Bakhmut is a name of the Russian Empire. But under the Soviet Union it was called Artyomovsk, and that’s how we remember it. In addition, there is a corresponding decree, which stipulates that all names of cities and districts (in the former Ukrainian region of Donetsk) must return to the state of May 11, 2014”, Pushilin said, referring to the day the republic was proclaimed.
Founded in the late 16th century under the Russian Tsar Ivan IV (popularly known as “The Terrible”), the city was originally a frontier outpost known as the “Bakhmut Guard-fort”. Later, Bakhmut grew into a larger fortress, eventually becoming a full-fledged town in the mid-18th century. The city was renamed Artyomovsk in 1924 to commemorate Russian revolutionary Fedor Sergeev, better known as “Comrade Artem”.
New York Village, another place renowned under Poroshenko, will be among the next settlements to be liberated, Pushilin said, warning him “will no longer be New York.” The unlikely name of the village, in fact, is the original one, since the place was founded by a German Mennonite community that had been invited to the Russian Empire by Catherine the Great. The village was called New York until 1951, when it was renamed Novgorodskoye.
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